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The Zambian government has launched the Collective Action for Disability Rights (CADIR) project, reaffirming its commitment to advancing the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all spheres of national development.
The five-year initiative, supported by the Norwegian Association of Disabled (NAD) and other Norwegian partners, aims to promote inclusive development and ensure equal rights, dignity, and opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Speaking during the launch in Lusaka on Wednesday, Minister of Community Development and Social Services, Doreen Mwamba, said the full inclusion of persons with disabilities was not only a human rights imperative but also critical for good governance and sustainable development.
Mwamba revealed that Zambia was working towards ratifying the African Disability Protocol by 2027 and also finalizing a National Action Plan for the protection of persons with albinism, aligned with the African Union’s strategy.
She also praised the CADIR project’s inclusion of climate change as a key thematic area, noting that the recent droughts have underscored the urgency of inclusive climate adaptation.
“This project responds to these challenges by promoting community-based inclusive development, aligning with our recently launched National Disability Policy,” she said.
NAD Country Director, Caroline Cheelo, lauded government’s commitment to disability inclusion, noting that around 1.3 billion people globally—or 16 percent of the population—live with significant disabilities and face systemic barriers.
“This programme reflects a collective vision to dismantle those barriers in education, employment, healthcare, and public participation,” Cheelo said.
In a speech read on his behalf by Director of Planning and Programmes Inger Mutenekwa, Zambia Agency for Persons with Disabilities (ZAPD) Director, General Frank Musukwa, expressed gratitude for the project’s focus on inclusive climate action and the broader empowerment of persons with disabilities.
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